Secretary



(ModeL) J. PQPARDUB.

SECRETARY.

' No. 279,005}; Patented Ju ne 5, 1883.

WITNESSES: INVENTORP a m Mm .Mm

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UNIT D STATES PATENT 0FFICE0 JOHN P. ranncn, on ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SECRETARY.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 279,604, dated June 5,1883. Application filed January 24,1883. (Modeh) To (all 1071.01 22, itmay concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN P. IARDUE, of St. Louis, in the State ofMissouri, have invented a new and Improved Secretary, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to construct a secretary with convenientreceptacles for the desk and other things ordinarily used therewith, ashereinafter described.

Reference is to be had to the'accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures a Figure 1 is a perspective viewof my new and improved secretary as it appears when op en and thebook-supp ort A swung out for use. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation ofthe same, taken on the line x at of Fig. 1, showing the parts as theyappear when the secretary is closed; and'Fig. 3 is a perspective "iew ofthe book-support and the means for supporting and operating it removedfrom the secretary.

The main body or inclosure B of the secretary may be of any suitablesize and form, and may be ornamented in any desired manner to suit thetaste, and it is by preference divided internally into compartments bythe horizontal partitions a and I). In the upper compartment, formed bythe partition (1 and the top a of the secretary,is placed the bookholder or support A, which is attached near its lower edge, by means ofthe staple d, to the apex of the triangular rod 0, and near its center,by the plated, to the bent crank-rod D, both of which rods are journaledat their ends, the rod 1) above the rod 0, in the outer side walls ofthe secretary, as clearly shown in Fig.1. One end of the rod 1) passessome distance through one of the said side walls, and is providedoutside of the inclosure with the crankf, as shown in-Figs. land 3, bywhich the book-supportA may be swung out ofthe secretary to the positionshown in Fig. l, for holding a book open in front of the reader sittingat the desk G, or carried back into the upper compartment of thesecretary, as shown in Fig. 2. The space in the said upper compartmentnot occupied by the book-support A may be utilized in any suitablemanner; but I prefer to place in it the side pigeon-holes, E E, and toplace centrally upon the partition av the roof-shaped partition to whichmay be attached the corresponding cleats, c 0, for holding .the smalldrawer H.

Above the drawer H- is formed, by the small horizontal portion 0, asmall triangular compartment for the reception ot'pen-holders,pen-

cils, rulers, 85c.

" In the compartment formed between the par titions (1 and b, 1 placethe drawer J, which is well adapted for holding papers, pamphlets,

periodicals, Sic. 7

The lower compartment, formed by the partition b and the bottom I) ofthe secretary, is divided into side compartments by the verticalpartition k, which compartments are well adapted for holding boundvolumes of text and reference books. The compartments are adapted to beclosed by the door K The desk G performs a twofold functionthat offurnishing a table or desk on which to write and that of a door forclosing the upper compartment of the secretary. It is by preference madeof two parts, which are hinged together, as shown, so as to furnish anarrow or wide writing table or desk, as desired. XVhein raised up forclosing the secretary it is held in that position by means of theperforated spring-metal plates 2' a,

.which catch upon the pins 5 '13, driven into the edges of the table,near its upper edge, asshown in Fig. 1; or any invisible catch may beused. The book-support is by preference provided with the elastic bandsl1 la, which may be put over the leaves of the book, as shown clearly inFig. 1, for holding the book open and the leaves from turning of theirown accord. The

book having been placed upon the support A,

and the support and book having been carried back into the secretary andthe secretary closed, in order to bring the book into position forreading, it is only necessary to let down the table or desk G and applythe hand to the crank f and turn it forward, which will cause the bentrod D to first carry the support A slightly upward, and then cause itand the triangular rod 0 to move outward and downward until the inneredge of the book-support rests upon. the apex of the triangularpartition F, in which position the rod 0 and partition F will hold theSupport in a slightly-inclined position, thus holding the'book in a mostconvenient position for a person sitting at the desk to read and takenotes.

In order to replace the book-support and book back in the secretary, itis only necessary to apply the hand again to the crank f and turn itbackward, which will cause the rod D to carry the support and the rod 0upward and backward into the secretary to the position shown in F1 2,where it may be closed in by the table G, perfectly secure against alldanger of molestation. In this manner it will be seen that the book isnot only held in a convenient position for the reader and all thingsnecessary for writing and taking notes kept handy in the secretary, butthat the book,when replaced in the secretary, is held open at the placewhere the reader left off, so that when the book is brought out againthe reader may begin his work again from the place where he stopped atthe previous reading.

It is designed to provide the legs or supports of the secretary withcasters, so that it may be easily moved from place to place in an officeor room.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In a secretary, the combination of the main body of the same, havingpartition a and top a, the triangular partition F, the triangular rod C,the rod D, having crank f on the out side, and the book-holder A,attached near its lower edge to the rod 0 and near its center to .therod- D, said rods being journaled in the body of the secretary abovethetriangular partition F, as shown and described. 7 JOHN P. PARDUE.\Vitnesses L. H. ADAMS,

)1. L. COLE.

